Say "Uncle"
I'm super ticklish.
Despite my very best efforts to exert all my mental energy to resist squirming and flailing around when tickled, I simply cannot.
I remember when I was little people would be relentless with the tickling.
Now that I'm 5'10" and took that "Women's Self-Defense" class in college, I'm a little better at fighting off my attackers, and only the brave come at me with tickle fingers.
The frustrating part of being tickled is getting people to understand when you have really had enough. Saying "no, stop" doesn't really help because I typically say those words right from the get-go.
Remember when people would say "Uncle"? That was like the key word that you really mean it now. No more joking around, you need them to stop, you give up.
I suppose that worked for me for awhile, but I remember "I have to pee" tended to work best.
I was listening to an old friend's sermon yesterday morning and he was talking about a particular time in his life when he was going through a difficult time. In his case, in a matter of a few months he lost three people that were very dear to him.
He asked himself if there was a key word he could say to end all the sorrow. "Can I cry Uncle?"
I have been there too. I remember the final weeks of my Grandma's life when she was withering away in my mom's living room. Going through tough times with Matt, or my kids, or work, or when there is pain in sickness and loss. There are times when you just want to scream out that key word that makes everyone say "oh wait, she's serious now, this is enough".
My friend's message reminded me of something I just needed to hear. Not for any particular reason, just a reminder. We don't have to yell "I have to pee" or "Uncle". We have something far more effective, far more powerful, we get to cry "Jesus".
I wasn't there but my mom told me that in my Grandfather's last hours on earth he simply uttered the word "Jesus" over and over again. I give up, take this from me.
There is power in the name of Jesus. The challenge is not to wait until we no longer have breathe to utter the words. To call on that name in the midst of our trials and allow him to bring us out of our despair.
Despite my very best efforts to exert all my mental energy to resist squirming and flailing around when tickled, I simply cannot.
I remember when I was little people would be relentless with the tickling.
Now that I'm 5'10" and took that "Women's Self-Defense" class in college, I'm a little better at fighting off my attackers, and only the brave come at me with tickle fingers.
The frustrating part of being tickled is getting people to understand when you have really had enough. Saying "no, stop" doesn't really help because I typically say those words right from the get-go.
Remember when people would say "Uncle"? That was like the key word that you really mean it now. No more joking around, you need them to stop, you give up.
I suppose that worked for me for awhile, but I remember "I have to pee" tended to work best.
I was listening to an old friend's sermon yesterday morning and he was talking about a particular time in his life when he was going through a difficult time. In his case, in a matter of a few months he lost three people that were very dear to him.
He asked himself if there was a key word he could say to end all the sorrow. "Can I cry Uncle?"
I have been there too. I remember the final weeks of my Grandma's life when she was withering away in my mom's living room. Going through tough times with Matt, or my kids, or work, or when there is pain in sickness and loss. There are times when you just want to scream out that key word that makes everyone say "oh wait, she's serious now, this is enough".
My friend's message reminded me of something I just needed to hear. Not for any particular reason, just a reminder. We don't have to yell "I have to pee" or "Uncle". We have something far more effective, far more powerful, we get to cry "Jesus".
I wasn't there but my mom told me that in my Grandfather's last hours on earth he simply uttered the word "Jesus" over and over again. I give up, take this from me.
There is power in the name of Jesus. The challenge is not to wait until we no longer have breathe to utter the words. To call on that name in the midst of our trials and allow him to bring us out of our despair.
Comments